The Dream-Hunter: An Adult Book Review

"What mattered most was the present, and that was what he focused on. Always."
        - Sherrilyn Kenyon - The Dream-Hunter



"Feel? Why would anyone in their right mind wish for that? Feelings are for fools."

        - Sherrilyn Kenyon - The Dream-Hunter

"Geary had never been aroused, amused, and highly offended all at the same time before."

        - Sherrilyn Kenyon - The Dream-Hunter

"The key to humanity is simple. Life your life with purpose."

        - Sherrilyn Kenyon - The Dream-Hunter

For my first Adult Romance in a while, this book was absolutely perfect! I really enjoyed it. Sherrilyn Kenyon is one of my favorite romance authors, and she's wrten a YA! Excitement abounds! I really like the new myths she's added into the mythology of Ancient Greece.

Summary: Arik is a Skotos, cursed by the gods to have no emotion and to feed off the emotions in the dreams of human. He has spent his life drifting from dream to dream looking for the emotions to make him feel alive.

Meageara hated her father's hunt as a child, but when he's on his death bed, she swears she'll carry on the quest and clear his name. A hollow promise then has become her life's purpose. She searches for Atlantis, keeping a stern, strong air in the patriarchal society of academia.

In her dreams, Geary can let go. She can be herself in all her fears, doubts, happiness, and sexuality. A man takes the place of her sexual fantasy. But only in her dreams, until Geary finds him floating in the sea near her research vessel. A man stepped straight for her dreams with a promise to make her lifes work come true.

Will Geary let go and trust her dream lover? Does he deserve to be trusted?

Characters: I really love the characters. Arik is so beautiful and has an almost childish ignorance about the human world, but dry humor doen't escape him. The otehr Skotos I adore is Solin. He's cold and amazingly sweet and humorous. Meageara is a good, likeable character. She's a strong woman, which by now I'm sure you know I love. She doesn't just fall into Arik's arms (or bed) the moment he arrives and promises to make her dreams come true (erotic and otherwise). My favrite characters are Kat and Persephone. Kat is a major part of the story but you'll have to read it to see why I like her. Persephone is actually only a very small part towards the end, but I find her adorable! She is understanding and a good balancing act for the "cold" god Hades.

Plot: I really liked the plot. There isn't a lot of sexual scenes, but the few are done well and tastefully. I like that there aren't many sex scenes. Through out the book, especially when seeing Arik's point of view, about erotic ideas and thoughts, but it doesn't take away from the plot. There is a lot of action that I really enjoyed. My favorite thing about this book is that the book isn't about sex, it's about Meageara, Arik, Gods, Goddesses, Atlantis, a quest, and consequences.

Recommendation: I would say that I  suggest this one to anyone who likes Adult paranormal romances. This certainly isn't one I'd suggest for anyone under 17, at the youngest. Like I said, don't expect a lot of erotic scenes, expect some, but expects a lot of action and dry humor.

The Alchemyst: A Book Review

“At the heart of every legend there is a grain of truth.”
― Michael Scott, The Alchemyst

"Nothing is as it seems. You must learn to question everything.
― Michael Scott, The Alchemyst



Opening words: The first thing I have to say is that this book is fantastic, in every sense of the word! Mr. Scott obviously spent a large amount of time on this. His use of mythology is amazing and the "truths" he creates are wonderful. He does an excellent job at creating his world and his history within our own.

Summary: When twins Josh and Sophie move to San Francisco for the summer, they think getting jobs to buy a car is a great idea. Little did they know that their jobs would lead them into a world they'd always known to be fiction.
Nicholas Flamel died in the 1400s. Nick Fleming owns the book shop at which Josh works. When a man storms in and magic begins, Josh is caught in the middle. Sophie runs to help her brother and ends up learning more than she wanted to know about the store owners, Nick and Perry Fleming.
From that moment on, the twins are wound tight into a story of magic, immortals, and prophecy.

Opinions: Absolutely fantastic. Scott pulls in mythology from all over the world to create a web both complex and easy to follow. He creates characters with good and bad sides, selfless and selfish motives. He creates a world within our own that the reader can almost imagine is real.
My personal favorite character is Perenelle Flamel, Nicholas's wife. We see little of her in comparison to the other characters, but in that little bit you glimpse so many strong emotions and so much strong will that it's hard for me not to adore her.
I also love Scatty, a Warrior. She's spunky and makes even the tensest of moments easy to read.
Nicholas is a well developed character, while still keeping the bit of mystery that teaches you to love him but you're never sure if you fully trust him.
Dee makes a wonderful villain.
Sophie and Josh make the story. They are the center point of the story. Since they are two 15 year old kids, never having stepped into the world they're pulled into, the stories, the histories, etc. are all told to the reader naturally by their explanation to Sophie and Josh. They're also very different, which makes the story all the more interesting.
I really like that it is NOT a love story. Most YA books now, even in the face of apocalypse,are coated with a thick layer of love drama. Though you do see a bit of Nicholas and Perenelle's love, it's not a major part, but makes both characters very likeable.

Recommendation: I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fantasy tales. Alchemy is, obviously, a major part of this story, as is magic. It is a YA fiction, but it's not one that reads slowly or like a story told to children. I highly suggest it.